There will be toasting with champagne, holding hands, and passing Dirty Santa gifts.  You'll shake hands at company shindigs, throw money in the Salvation Army collection pot, and take a zillion pictures.

That's why a tasteful manicure is an important part of your holiday prep (c'mon, as if you needed a reason).  Do-It-Yourself with these top reader-rated Manicure Must-Haves:

Keep your cuticles healthy and smooth with (1) Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream ($5ish), (2) LUSH's Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter ($13ish), or (3) Cake Beauty's Milk Made Smoothing Hand and Cuticle Buffer ($18ish)


Soothe weather-chapped skin with rich lotions like (1) Glysomed Hand Cream ($3ish), (2) L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream ($30ish), (3) Body Shop's Soft Hands Kind Heart Hand Cream ($10), AHAVA Hand Cream ($20ish), or (5) Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream ($5ish)

For $10 or less, your favourite polishes prove you don't need to splurge to get a great result.  Try one of their new festive shades for seasonal sizzle!

(1) OPI in 'Glitzerland' (fizzy champagne), $10ish
(2) Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in 'Red Carpet' (sparkly brash red), $3ish
(3) Essie in 'Luxedo' (deep rich plum), $8ish
(4) Rimmel London 60 Seconds in 'Green with Envy' (elfin blue-green), $4ish
(5) China Glaze in 'Naughty & Nice' (cheeky maroon-brown), $6ish

Which product is your favourite manicure must-have?  Rate it here